SELF-PROTECTING IRRIGATION HOSE AND METHOD

Abstract: In a method for protecting an irrigation hose from attack by the elements, an elongated flat sheet of flexible water impervious plastic film (12) is bent along its length to form an overlapping longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins of the sheet. The longitudinal seam is sealed with first and second rib like adhesive beads (16, 18) extending longitudinally uninterrupted along the opposing margins of the sheet in spaced apart relationship to form a continuous chemical storage channel (22) defined by the beads and the opposing margins and to form a water supply channel (24) defined by the remainder of the sheet. The chemical storage channel is fluidically isolated from the water supply channel. The sheet is laid on or under the ground. The ends of the chemical storage channel are sealed so (Fig. 6) that the only means of egress therefrom is through the interstices of the material of the sheet and the beads. A hose protecting chemical is injected into the chemical storage channel (Fig. 5). The irrigation hose is put into service by pressurizing the water supply channel. The hose protecting chemical defuses slowly through the interstices of the sheet material so as to protect the exterior surface of the hose from insects, root intrusion, and/or other damaging environmental conditions.

Description: SELF-PROTECTING IRRIGATION HOSE & METHOD Background of the Invention This invention relates to the field of drip irrigation and, more particularly, to a self-protecting irrigation hose and method. Irrigation hose in agricultural use is subjected to harsh environmental conditions. Sun, insects, and roots of plants attack irrigation hose in situ. It is known to mix protective chemicals with the plastic material from which irrigation hose is made. For example, ultraviolet inhibitors, insecticides, and herbicides, such as Trifuralin, may be mixed with the plastic materials from which the irrigation hose is made. Alternatively, the chemicals are sometimes mixed in dilute quantities with the irrigation water distributed by the hose. U.S. Patent No. 5, 116,414, suggests encapsulation of liquid Trifuralin in a hollow plastic tube or cylinder having closed ends to prevent root growth under various circumstances. Summary of the Invention One aspect of the invention is a method for protecting an irrigation hose from attack by the elements. An elongated flat sheet of flexible water impervious plastic film is bent along its length to form an overlapping longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins of the sheet. The longitudinal seam is sealed with first and second rib like adhesive beads extending longitudinally uninterrupted along the opposing margins of the sheet in spaced apart relationship to form a continuous chemical storage channel defined by the beads and the opposing margins and to form a water supply channel defined by the remainder of the sheet. The chemical storage channel is fluidically isolated from the water supply channel. The sheet is laid on or under the ground. The ends of the chemical storage channel are sealed so that the only means of egress therefrom is through the interstices of the material of the sheet and the beads. A hose protecting chemical is injected into the chemical storage channel. The irrigation hose is put into service by pressurizing the water supply channel. The hose protecting chemical defuses slowly through the interstices of the sheet material so as to protect the exterior surface of the hose from insects, root intrusion, and or other damaging environmental conditions. Preferably, the longitudinal seam is sealed with a third rib like adhesive bead extending longitudinally along the opposing margins of the sheet in spaced apart relationship from the first and second beads between the first and second beads and the water supply channel to form inboard of d chemical storage channel a flow regulating channel defined by the second and third beads and di opposing margins. A plurality of inlets are formed to die flow regulating channel from the wate supply channel. A plurality of outlets are formed from the flow regulating channel to the exterior o the hose displaced from the respective inlets to provide a substantial path length for each inlet to respective outlet. Another aspect of the invention is a self-protecting irrigation hose made from an elongated fla sheet of plastic material and first, second, and third longitudinally extending, transverse ribs. Th plastic film is bent along its length to form a lapped longitudinal seam between opposing longitudina margins of the film. The ribs are arranged in spaced apart relationship to interconnect the opposin margins along their length. As a result, the overlapping longitudinal seam is sealed. The first ri lies inboard of the second rib, and the third rib lies outboard of die second rib to form a flo regulating channel defined by the first and second ribs, a chemical storage channel defined by di second and third ribs and a water supply channel defined at least in part by the remainder of m sheet. The first rib has a plurality of longitudinally spaced interruptions that form inlets to the flo regulating channel. The second and titiird ribs are longitudinally uninterrupted so mat the chemica storage channel is isolated from the water supply channel and d e flow regulating channel. A pluralit of longitudinally spaced openings in the outboard margin of the film forms oudets from the flo regulating channel displaced from the respective inlets to provide a substantial path length from eac inlet to a respective oudet. The described irrigation hose can be protected by sealing and filling di chemical storage channel with an appropriate hose protecting chemical. Brief Description of the Drawings The features of specific embodiments of the best mode contemplated of carrying out th invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a top, partially cut away view of a completed drip irrigation hose incorporatin principles of d e invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 are side sectional views of the drip irrigation hose of FIG. 1 taken throug planes 2-2 and 3-3, respectively; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for manufacturing the drip irrigation hose of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the source end of die drip irrigation hose of FIG. 1 afte installation; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the remote end of die drip irrigation hose of FIG. 1 i a course of installation; and FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of an alternative embodiment of die invent «ion. Detailed Description of the Specific Embodiments The disclosures of U.S. Patent Nos. 4,247,051, 4,984,739, and 5J23,984, are incorporate fully herein by reference. With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a drip irrigation hose 10 is formed from a diin, e.g., to 15 mil film 12 of flexible water impervious plastic material bent along its length to form a overlapping longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins. The overlapping film margin are sealed by longitudinally extending, spaced apart ribs 14, 16, and 18, made of the same o compatible plastic material as film 12. Rib 14 is inboard of rib 16 and rib 18 is outboard of rib 16 Ribs 14 and 16 and die overlapping margins of film 12 define a flow regulating channel 20, a described in more detail in the referenced '051 and '739 patents. Ribs 16 and 18 and the overlappin margins of film 12 define a chemical storage channel 22 in accordance with the present invention A water supply channel 24 is defined by the remainder of film 12. At periodic intervals along the length of hose 10, cross ribs 26 extend between ribs 14 and 1 to define discrete segments within flow regulating channel 20, a plurality of interruptions are forme in rib 14 to define an inlet 28 to each segment of flow regulating channel 20 near one side of eac cross rib 26, a plurality of oudet ports 30 are formed in the outer margin of film 12, near the othe side of each cross rib 26, and a turbulent flow section 32 is formed in each segment between eac inlet 28 and die corresponding outiet ports 30. Thus, as described in the referenced '051 and '73 patents, water under pressure in supply channel 24 flows through inlets 28, turbulent flow section 32, and oudet ports 30, to the exterior of hose 10. In accordance with the invention, rib 18, which is adjacent to and outboard of rib 16, extend along die entire length of hose 10 without interruption, i.e., there are no discrete inlets or oudets fo fluid to pass into or escape from channel 22. Reference is made to FIG. 5 for a description of die method for manufacturing die dri irrigation hose shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Oudet ports 30 are formed along one edge of film 12 in di manner described in die referenced '984 patent. Thereafter, the other edge of die film is folded b a film guide, not shown, preparatory to passage under one or more extrusion nozzles 32. Preferably there are two extrusion nozzles 32-one for laying down a bead 33 for ribs 14 and 16 and one fo laying down a bead 35 for rib 18. In this way separate compositions can be used for ribs 14 and 1 and for rib 18. Film 10 then passes through the nip of a rotating molding wheel 38 and a backin wheel 38. Molding wheel 32 has a pattern of depressions 36 corresponding to die desired rib patter on the hose as shown in FIG. 1. In the nip of wheels 32 and 34, beads 33 and 35 are shaped b molding wheel 32 to form repeatably on film 10 the desired rib pattern, after which the extern overlapping margin of film 12 is folded by a guide 40 to overlap d e internal overlapping margin film 12. As a final step, the overlapped film 12 passes through the nip of a form wheel 42 and backing wheel 46 to bond die margins to the pattern of beads created by molding wheel 32. For wheel 42 has a groove 44 tiiat depresses die pattern of beads created by molding wheel 32 to set d bead or rib height at a specified value diat determines die flow rate of the hose. After the described drip irrigation hose is manufactured, it is conventionally wrapped on a re for storage and transportation. In use, the drip irrigation hose is unwound from die reel, laid in lon runs on or under die ground in the region where irrigation is desired, and dien cut off from the hos on the reel. As illustrated in FIG. 5, one end of the drip irrigation hose, i.e. a source end 52, attached to a conventional connector 54 to seal that end of die chemical storage channel and the flo regulating channel. A conventional connector 56 is attached to a water supply manifold 58 to whic irrigation water is supplied under pressure. Connector 54 is joined to connector 56 by hookup tubin 60. As illustrated in FIG. 6, at the odier end of drip irrigation hose 10, i.e. a remote end 62, d hose is folded over twice, and a short section of die hose 64 is slid over die folded over end to secu and seal diat end of die chemical storage channel and die flow regulating channel. By virtue of t seals at the ends of hose 10, die only means of egress for water from manifold 58 is through wat supply channel 24, inlets 28, flow regulating channel 20, and oudet ports 30 to the soil in die vicini of hose 10. According to die invention, a hose protecting chemical, such as a herbicide or an insecticid is injected into chemical storage channel 22, as for example, with a medical syringe, after which t puncture hole is sealed widi plastic tape. By virtue of the seals at the ends of hose 10, die only mea of egress for the hose protecting chemical is through die interstices of the material of film 12 and ri 16 and 18. Since diere are no discrete exit openings from channel 22, the release of the chemic from channel 22 is very slow, i.e., of the order of 10-15 micro liters per foot per day. While d irrigation hose is pressurized, die water pressure in water supply channel resists passage of d chemical tiirough the inner overlapping margin, thereby favoring passage dirough the exteri overlapping margin to the area surrounding die irrigation hose. In the usual case where die ribs are all made of a dense impervious plastic material, essential all the chemical diffusion takes place through film 12. To increase the rate of release of die chemica die bead from which rib 18 is formed could be from a foam material. As a result, rib 18 would porous and would be conducive to a faster rate of delivery of chemical to the exterior of hose 1 The pore size and dius the rate of chemical release could be controlled by proper selection of d foaming material. Alternatively, rib 18 could be made from a hydrophobic plastic material such polyethylene that would allow the vapors of the stored chemical to more readily penetrate the ar surrounding die irrigation hose without direcdy applying the liquid chemical to me soil. Referen is made to FIG. 7 for an alternative embodiment of die invention. A length of water impervio plastic film 70 is folded lengthwise to form an outer layer 72, an inner layer 74, a longitudinal fo line 76, and longitudinal edges 80 and 82. A compatible plastic bead-like rib 84, which extends alo the entire length of film 72, attaches and seals film 70 in the region of fold line 76 to die adjace surface of die interior of layer 74 of film 70. A compatible plastic bead-like rib 86, which exten along die entire length of film 72, joins and seals edges 80 and 82 and die adjacent exterior surfa of layer 72. The space between layers 72 and 74 serves as a chemical storage channel 88. The spa defined by ribs 84 and 86 and die portions of layers 72 and 74 dierebetween forms a flow regulati channel 90. In this embodiment, die inlets to flow regulating channel 90 are formed by interruptio in bead 84 (not shown) and die oudets from flow regulating channel 90 are formed by interruptio in bead 86, such as diat represented at 92, in a fashion, for example, similar to the inlets and outl in the referenced '739 patent. The described embodiments of die invention is only considered to be preferred and illustrative of die inventive concept; the scope of die invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous o er arrangements may be devised by one skilled in die art widiout departing from the spirit and scope of diis invention. For example, two or more chemical storage channels could be provided by forming more continuous longitudinal beads between die overlapping margins of die film. Or die invention, could be incorporated into an irrigation hose diat does not have a flow regulating channel between die overlapping margins, such as a hose used widi discrete insertable drip emitters.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A method for protecting an irrigation hose comprising the steps of: bending an elongated flat sheet of flexible water impervious material along its lengt to form a longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins of die sheet, sealing die longitudinal seam widi first and second rib like adhesive beads extendin longitudinally uninterrupted along the opposing margins of the sheet in spaced apart relationship t form a continuous chemical storage channel defined by die beads and die opposing margins and t form a water supply channel defined at least in part by the remainder of die sheet, die chemic storage channel being in fluid isolation from the water supply channel; laying die sheet on or under die ground; sealing the ends of die chemical storage channel so die only means of egress therefro is through the interstices of the material of d e sheet and d e beads; injecting a hose protecting chemical into the chemical storage channel; and pressurizing die water supply channel. 2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising die steps of: sealing die longitudinal seam with a third rib like adhesive bead extending longitudinall along the opposing margins of me sheet in spaced apart relationship from the first and second bead between the first and second beads and die water supply channel to form adjacent to die chemic storage channel a flow regulating channel defined by die beads and die opposing margins; forming a plurality of inlets to the flow regulating channel from me water supply channel; an forming a plurality of oudets from the flow regulating channel to the exterior of die hos displaced form the respective inlets to provide a substantial path length from each inlet to a respectiv oudet. 3. A self-protecting irrigation hose comprising: an elongated flat sheet of plastic film bent along its length to form a lapped longitudin seam between opposing longitudinal margins of die film; first, second, and diird longitudinally extending transverse ribs in spaced apa relationship interconnecting the opposing margins along their lengdi to seal die overlappin longitudinal seam, the first rib being inboard of the second rib and die tiiird rib being outboard of d second rib to form a flow regulating channel defined by the first and second ribs, a chemical stora channel defined by die second and diird ribs, and a water supply channel defined at least in part the remainder of die sheet; die first rib having a plurality of longitudinally spaced interruptions diat form inlets the flow regulating channel; die second and diird ribs being longitudinally uninterrupted so diat die chemical stora channel is isolated from die water supply channel and die flow regulating channel; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings in die outboard margin of the film to for oudets from the flow regulating channel displaced from the respective inlets to provide a substanti path length from each inlet to a respective oudet. 4. A mediod for making an irrigation hose comprising the steps of: bending an elongated flat sheet of flexible water imperious plastic material having longitudinal edges along its length to form an outer layer, an inner layer, and a longitudinal fold line and to place die longitudinal edges adjacent to each odier; sealing the sheet in die region of die fold line to die interior surface of d e inner layer near, but spaced from, die longitudinal edges; and sealing the longitudinal edges of die sheet and die exterior surface of die outer layer near, but spaced from, die longitudinal fold line to form a relatively narrow flow regulating channel between die fold line and die interior surface of die inner layer and a relatively wide liquid storage channel between the outer and inner layers. 5. The method of claim 4, in which the step of sealing the sheet in the region of die fold line to the interior surface of the inner layer comprises sealing the sheet to die interior surface wim a first rib like bead. 6. The method of claim 5, in which die first bead is interrupted to form inlets to the flow regulating channel. 7. The method of claim 6, in which the step of sealing the longitudinal edges of the sheet and die exterior surface of the outer layer comprises sealing the longitudinal edges and die exterior surface with a second rib like bead. 8. The method of claim 7, in which die second bead is interrupted to form outlets to the flow regulating channel. 9. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising after the steps recited in claim 4 the steps of: laying the sheet on or under the ground; sealing the ends of the liquid storage channel so die only means of egress dierefrom is through the interstices of the material of the sheet and die beads; injecting a hose protecting chemical into the chemical storage channel; and pressurizing the water supply channel. 10. The method of claim 4, in which the step of sealing the longitudinal edges of die sheet and the exterior surface of die outer layer comprises sealing die longitudinal edges and die exterior surface with a rib like bead. 11. The method of claim 7, in which the bead is interrupted to form oudets to the flow regulating channel. 12. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising after die steps recited in claim 4 the steps of: laying the sheet on or under die ground; sealing the ends of die liquid storage channel so die only means of egress therefrom is through the interstices of the material of the sheet and d e beads; injecting a hose protecting chemical into the chemical storage channel; and pressurizing the water supply channel. 13. A self-protecting irrigation hose comprising: an elongated flat sheet of plastic film having longitudinal edges bent along its length to form an outer layer, an inner layer, and a longitudinal fold line and to place die longitudinal edges adjacent to each other; a first longitudinally extending transverse rib sealing the sheet in die region of die fol line to the interior surface of the inner layer near, but spaced from, die longitudinal edges; and a second longitudinally extending transverse rib sealing the longitudinal edges of th sheet and die exterior surface of the outer layer near, but spaced from, die longitudinal fold line t form a relatively narrow flow regulating channel between the fold line and die interior surface of di inner layer, a relatively wide liquid storage channel between the outer and inner layers, and a wate supply channel defined by die interior surface of me inner layer; inlets to the flow regulating channel from die water supply channel; and oudets from the flow regulating channel to die exterior of die hose. 14. The irrigation hose of claim 13, in which the liquid storage channel is isolated from the water supply channel and die flow regulating channel. 15. The irrigation hose of claim 13, in which the inlets are interruptions in the first rib. 16. The irrigation hose of claim 15, in which die oudets are interruptions in die second rib. 17. The irrigation hose of claim 13, in which die oudets are interruptions in die second rib.

Inventors: DE FRANK MICHAEL P, DE FRANK, MICHAEL, P.
Applicants: T SYSTEMS INT INC, T-SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B05B15
IPC codes: A01G25, B05B1